Positioning flights are a software utilized by savvy Miles & Factors fans to entry an award or money flight that departs away from your private home airport.
When used strategically, positioning flights can prevent miles, factors, or money, and they need to positively be part of your total technique to unlock extra award redemption prospects.
On this information, we’ll do a deep dive into what positioning flights are, learn how to use them strategically, and learn how to navigate the numerous complexities related to them..
What Are Positioning Flights?
Positioning flights are supposed to convey you to a vacation spot away from your private home airport, so that you’re in a position to entry your main onward flights. You might want them at first, center, or finish of your foremost flight itinerary, relying on the reserving.
You may additionally want to make use of positioning flights to hook up with different modes of transport, equivalent to cruises; nonetheless, for this information, we’ll concentrate on positioning flights for connecting to different flights.
When reserving award flights, you may want a positioning flight for those who’re not capable of finding award availability from your private home airport. Canadians are sometimes confronted with this conundrum, as there’s usually extra award availability and flights generally to and from airports within the US.
In the meantime, for those who’re flying on a money ticket, positioning flights are helpful for whenever you discover a cheaper flight originating from an airport apart from your private home airport.
In any case, flights are usually cheaper from main hubs, the place a number of rivals vie for passenger visitors. When you’re not residing close to certainly one of these key airports, you’ll possible want to make use of positioning flights usually.
Most significantly, positioning flights are obligatory as a consequence of most airways’ adherence to the “should fly in sequence” precept. Which means that you have to present up for the flights in your tickets in sequence as acknowledged in your itinerary. In any other case, you run the danger of invalidating the unused parts of your journey.
For instance, let’s say you need to fly from Toronto to Paris, and you discover {that a} continuous Toronto–Paris ticket prices extra in factors than a New York–Toronto–Paris ticket, primarily based on dynamic pricing.
Trying on the second choice, you may suppose that you might avoid wasting miles or factors by reserving this route, skipping the New York–Toronto flight, after which flying the remaining Toronto–Paris flight.
Nonetheless, with the “should fly in sequence” precept, you may’t guide this New York–Toronto–Paris ticket and plan to no-show for the New York–Toronto leg. When you have been to do that, the airline would cancel your Toronto–Paris flight and even your return flight for those who booked one.
Subsequently, to make the most of the cheaper fare out of New York within the instance above, you have to fly from Toronto to New York on a positioning flight, though you have to double-back to Toronto as a part of your foremost itinerary.
As you delve deeper into Miles & Factors, you’ll discover a higher want for positioning flights as a software to save lots of miles, factors, or money. You’ll additionally discover you want them to unlock extra redemption prospects, particularly in case you have your coronary heart set on a selected airline or product.
With this in thoughts, it’s necessary to be adept at reserving them and strategizing their utility.
How Are Positioning Flights Helpful?
It will possibly generally appear illogical and pointless to be reserving a positioning flight; nonetheless, when availability for an award flight solely reveals up in Raleigh or Minneapolis, you have to get your self to Raleigh or Minneapolis.
Listed here are among the many explanation why you may want a positioning flight.
Flight Pricing and Award Availability
Provide, demand, and market segmentation are a actuality of the deregulated airline business. For essentially the most half, airways are free to cost tickets or make awards accessible primarily based on business selections.
In apply, which means though an airline flies to your private home airport, there won’t be an abundance of award seats accessible. If you wish to fly with that exact airline, you may must look elsewhere.
For instance, an airline like Turkish Airways may make loads of award seats accessible to New York, as a result of it has 5 flights departing there each day, and it must fill its planes.
Turkish Airways additionally flies to Vancouver, however with a a lot decrease frequency, and award availability may be tougher to return by than it’s departing or arriving in New York.
Equally, a Kuala Lumpur–Singapore–Perth ticket could also be cheaper in money than a direct Singapore–Perth ticket to raised compete with continuous Kuala Lumpur–Perth choices supplied by different airways.
So long as you may get your self from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur with a positioning flight that prices lower than the distinction in fares, it may wind up saving you money.
Airline, Cabin, and Product Availability
One more reason you may want positioning flights is as a result of the airline, cabin, or product you need merely isn’t accessible from the place you reside. A wonderful instance of that is Qatar Airways and its coveted QSuites enterprise class product.
In Canada, Qatar Airways solely flies to Montreal, and to not Toronto, Vancouver, or another cities. Subsequently, if you wish to attempt QSuites, you have to first make the journey to Montreal with a positioning flight (or practice) out of your origin.
Equally, if you wish to fly ANA “The Suite” First Class or “The Room” enterprise class, you have to first place your self to a US vacation spot, as these merchandise aren’t supplied in Canada.
Cheaper If Booked Individually
Positioning flights may show helpful when it’s cheaper to guide them individually, fairly than incorporating them into your full itinerary on a single ticket. With distance-based awards, including a flight phase could put you above the higher restrict of a distance band, which winds up costing you extra in factors.
For instance, let’s say you will have an Aeroplan award routing of Toronto–Warsaw–Copenhagen on LOT Polish Airways, a weeklong stopover, after which onwards to Singapore on Singapore Airways, all on a single ticket.
The Nice Circle Mapper distance for this whole itinerary is 10,930 miles, which places it just under the higher restrict for the 7,501–11,000 miles “Asia 3” candy spot for associate awards on Aeroplan’s Between North America and Pacific zones award chart.
Subsequently, in enterprise class, this itinerary would value out at 87,500 factors, plus an extra 5,000 factors for the stopover in Copenhagen.
Nonetheless, in case your meant vacation spot have been really Bangkok, the Singapore–Bangkok flight would add an extra 876 miles to the route. That single quick flight will make the entire distance cross over to the 11,000+ miles award band on the Aeroplan chart, that means the itinerary would now price 120,000 factors with the stopover.
The distinction between the price of these two itineraries is 32,500 Aeroplan factors, which we’d worth at $682.50 (CAD) at our present valuation of two.1 cents per level.
Given this, it appears imprudent to spend that many factors to incorporate a brief two-hour flight, when you might simply guide a positioning flight with one of many low-cost carriers plying the route for $100 as an alternative.
Avoiding Taxes and Charges
In some cases, a positioning flight may show you how to keep away from hefty taxes and costs. A wonderful instance could be when international locations cost greater duties for premium cabin tickets.
The UK expenses a a lot greater Air Passenger Obligation (APD) on enterprise class and First Class tickets, which might bump up the price of a money fare or award ticket considerably.
One option to circumvent the pesky APD is to guide a separate positioning flight in financial system to close by locations with out the APD, equivalent to Eire, France, Belgium, or the Netherlands, or to Inverness, from the place the APD is considerably decreased.
Much more brutal is Pakistan’s Federal Excise Obligation (FED), which tacks 250,000 PKR ($1,235 CAD, $900 USD) on enterprise class and First Class tickets to the Americas.
A simple option to circumvent the FED is to take an financial system positioning flight to close by India, which additionally occurs to have extra routes and locations accessible.
Mandatory for Smaller Cities
Positioning flights are a necessity for individuals who dwell exterior of cities with main hub airports. It could be prohibitively costly to start your itinerary from a smaller metropolis, given the principles of provide and demand.
Thus, it often makes higher financial sense to guide a separate positioning flight to a serious hub, after which make the most of that hub’s wider decisions and decrease costs.
In Canada, travellers trying to fly internationally on a continuous flight from smaller cities are sometimes out of luck.
Haligonians are lucky to have a continuous Air Canada flight to London, whereas Quebec Metropolis residents take pleasure in seasonal Air France service to Paris.
Nonetheless, smaller cities like Winnipeg or Charlottetown aren’t as blessed with flight availability, so folks residing in these areas will usually must guide a flight to Toronto, Montreal, or a US hub to attach with their desired itinerary.
Typically, reserving a separate positioning flight finally ends up being cheaper by way of miles, factors, or money, than reserving total itineraries ranging from these smaller cities.
All in all, with positioning flights, you’re beating airways at their very own recreation by creating your individual itinerary for much less cash or factors; nonetheless, needless to say you have to achieve this effectively and affordably, in any other case the entire level could be misplaced.
Find out how to E book a Positioning Flight
When you’ve booked your foremost award or money tickets, it’s time so that you can iron out your positioning flights. There are a selection of how to go about reserving your positioning flight, primarily based in your priorities and sources.
When planning positioning flights, your first step is to test the airways that fly between your private home airport and the place to begin of your foremost itinerary. You should utilize an internet site like FlightConnections to test doable routings, whether or not continuous or with connections.
The next move shall be to test money costs utilizing a comparability web site or aggregator equivalent to Google Flights, Skyscanner, or Momondo.
When shopping for flights in money, chances are you’ll need to use a bank card with fixed-value factors that may be redeemed in opposition to any journey buy to guide your positioning flights.
In Canada, one of the best applications to make use of are CIBC Aventura Factors, Scene+ factors, BMO Rewards, and TD Rewards Factors.
Credit score Playing cards with Mounted-Worth Factors
| Credit score Card | Greatest Provide | Worth | |
|---|---|---|---|
45,000 CIBC Aventura Factors† $139 annual charge |
45,000 CIBC Aventura Factors† | $600 |
Apply Now |
As much as 100,000 TD Rewards Factors† $139 annual charge |
As much as 100,000 TD Rewards Factors† | $550 |
Apply Now |
As much as 80,000 CIBC Aventura Factors $499 annual charge |
As much as 80,000 CIBC Aventura Factors | $420 |
Apply Now |
40,000 Scene+ factors $120 annual charge |
40,000 Scene+ factors | $355 |
Apply Now |
As much as 90,000 BMO Rewards factors First 12 months Free |
As much as 90,000 BMO Rewards factors | $331 |
Apply Now |
60,000 Scene+ factors $399 annual charge |
60,000 Scene+ factors | $161 |
Apply Now |
As much as 120,000 BMO Rewards factors $499 annual charge |
As much as 120,000 BMO Rewards factors | $74 |
Apply Now |
Versatile rewards $150 annual charge |
Versatile rewards | $0 |
Apply Now |
For example, with Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Card, you may redeem Scene+ factors in opposition to any journey buy at a price of 1 cent per level. Plus, with this card, you received’t get hit with a conversion charge for those who’re paying to your flight in a overseas foreign money.
Alternatively, you too can guide positioning flights utilizing a flight redemption scheme of a bank card program. In Canada, that is the place the CIBC Aventura Airline Awards Chart, RBC Air Journey Redemption Schedule, and Amex Mounted Factors Journey are available in notably helpful.
Alternatively, for those who’d fairly guide a positioning flight with an airline loyalty program, you should use a search software like AwardTool to assist decide your finest choices. This software can be used to trace award costs that can assist you additional optimize your redemption.
For brief-haul positioning flights, you’ll positively need to try the airline applications which have them as candy spots.
For instance, British Airways Government Membership affords short-haul flights for as few as 4,000 Avios.
For Aeroplan, short-haul positioning flights with Air Canada, equivalent to Vancouver to Seattle or Toronto to New York, are likely to get cheaper because the date of journey will get nearer.
However for those who’d wish to keep away from Aeroplan’s dynamic award pricing for Air Canada flights totally, you may attempt to discover availability with a associate airline, equivalent to United, Lufthansa, Singapore Airways, or Asiana Airways, which provide fixed-rate award flights.
Lastly, though all US airline applications impose a dynamic pricing scheme, they do provide lower-priced redemptions or “Saver-level” awards inside the US and to Canada.
For instance, with United MileagePlus, you could find a transcontinental flight between Toronto and San Francisco for as few as 15,000 miles. To simply discover these charges, you should use United’s calendar operate that can assist you along with your search.
Suggestions & Methods for Reserving Positioning Flights
Reserving positioning flights might be difficult and dangerous: for those who aren’t cautious, you may find yourself with each a higher expense and a headache.
That can assist you keep away from this, we’ve outlined some ideas and tips that you may make use of when strategizing and reserving positioning flights.
Plan Connections Fastidiously
When reserving positioning flights, it’s crucial to go away sufficient time for connections. In any case, reserving flights on separate itineraries principally means you’re by yourself in case your plans go sideways.
In different phrases, in case your positioning flight will get delayed for any purpose, the following airline isn’t liable to get you to your closing vacation spot. This is called “reprotection” in business jargon.
Thus, to mitigate the danger of lacking a connection, it will probably generally be finest to fly in a day early and spend the evening in your layover metropolis.
Nonetheless, you have to additionally contemplate the value of an evening’s keep at a lodge when calculating your prices. In any case, an evening at an airport lodge in a metropolis like New York will set you again $200–300 (USD), which alone may cancel out the potential financial savings you’ll take pleasure in by reserving separate tickets.
E book Flights with Early Departures
Earlier than reserving your positioning flight, it’s additionally a good suggestion to test the historic knowledge of your flight by means of an internet site or app like FlightRadar24 or FlightStats to see in case your deliberate positioning flight usually will get delayed or cancelled.
When you see that flights in your chosen route usually experiences a delay, contemplate selecting a flight that departs earlier within the day.
The primary flight out for the day not solely permits an extended connection time, but additionally affords you a selection of subsequent flights to fall again on in case of mishaps. Additionally, the primary flights out have a decrease likelihood of delays, which are likely to domino because the day goes on.
As a closing word on connections, be sure to permit loads of buffer throughout difficult journey durations, like spring break and the winter season, when flights are sometimes delayed or cancelled.
E book the Identical Airline If Doable
If doable, guide a positioning flight with the identical airline because the one you booked with to your foremost itinerary.
Typically, doing so will permit you to hyperlink your tickets or passenger identify data (PNRs) at check-in or prematurely by telephone. This fashion, you must be capable to through-check your baggage, making your connection much less of a trouble.
The airline may additionally be capable to reprotect you in case your positioning flight will get delayed or cancelled – although there’s no assurance of this, and also you’ll nonetheless must depend on the airline’s goodwill.
Fly with a Carry-on Solely (If Doable)
The most effective technique with flights on separate tickets is to fly with a carry-on solely.
The foremost purpose for that is it saves you time, because you received’t want to attend to say your baggage earlier than clearing immigration and customs.
Travelling with solely carry-on baggage additionally lessens the danger of your bag being delayed or misplaced. Dropping your baggage in your connection metropolis might be difficult, for the reason that airline won’t ship your baggage to your closing vacation spot for those who’re booked on a separate ticket.
Think about Positioning Flight Costs
As talked about above, earlier than reserving your foremost ticket, be sure to check positioning flight costs first. Whereas some flights from Canada to the US are quick in time and distance, they’ll nonetheless be costly.
For instance, as a consequence of demand from enterprise travellers, flights from Toronto to Boston, Washington DC, and New York Metropolis might be very costly regardless of being lower than two hours lengthy.
Conversely, chances are you’ll discover that flying from Canada to leisure locations, equivalent to Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Las Vegas, Cancun, and Punta Cana, can really be fairly inexpensive. It is because all the principle Canadian carriers, plus overseas ones, contend on these routes.
Provided that flights in Canada are usually getting dearer, planning positioning flights may take some creativeness.
For instance, for those who’ve discovered a long-haul flight out of Miami, you may attempt to search for flights to Fort Lauderdale, which frequently has low-cost flights from Canada.
Then, from Fort Lauderdale Airport, you may conveniently take the Tri-Rail instantly into Miami Airport to your onward journey, or you may plan to spend just a few days in Miami.
Various Modes of Transportation
Along with flights, you must also discover different technique of transportation for positioning. As a place to begin, the web site Rome2Rio is a superb software that can assist you discover your choices.
The obvious non-flight transportation choices are buses and trains, that are notably related in Europe. For one, Flixbus connects tons of of cities within the area, a lot of which have direct connections.
For practice tickets, the Trainline platform enables you to test numerous rail choices and guide tickets between cities in Europe. Plus, it permits to you pay in Canadian or US {dollars}.
Ferries are additionally a positioning choice, particularly once they depart or arrive at an airport. They are often notably helpful within the Better Bay Space, which covers Hong Kong, Macau, and cities in Mainland China.
Since flight awards to China might be troublesome to search out today, you may attempt to discover an award flight to or from Hong Kong, which is nicely served by worldwide carriers. Then, instantly from Hong Kong Airport’s SkyPier, you may take a ferry to a metropolis in Mainland China, equivalent to Guangzhou or Shenzhen.
Don’t Neglect Insurance coverage
When reserving separate flights and/or modes of transportation, it’s essential that you’ve got journey interruption insurance coverage from an eligible bank card or a standalone coverage.
Normally, journey interruption insurance coverage covers the delay of your flight ensuing from the next:
- Mechanical failure
- Site visitors accident
- Emergency police-directed street closure
- Climate circumstances
- Grounding as a consequence of security of your air transportation
- Grounding of your air transportation as a consequence of conditions exterior the airline’s management together with, however not restricted to, a medical emergency, or collision with wildlife
If any of the above causes a misconnection or an interruption to your journey plans, most insurance coverage insurance policies will reimburse you for the next:
- One-way airfare through essentially the most cost-effective path to your subsequent vacation spot
- Unused portion of your journey preparations bought previous to your departure date
- Lodging, meals, phone, and different residing bills
When you’re profiting from your bank card’s insurance coverage protection, make sure to cost your positioning flight to the identical card as your foremost ticket or itinerary.
When you’re reserving an award ticket, be sure to pay the taxes and costs on a card that covers award bookings. For instance, tickets booked with Aeroplan factors needs to be booked on an Aeroplan co-branded bank card for insurance coverage protection.
Alternatively, use a bank card with extra lenient insurance coverage wording. The Nationwide Financial institution® World Elite® Mastercard® and the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® cowl transportation paid for in any half with the cardboard, equivalent to award bookings and cruise deposits.
As at all times, learn your card’s insurance coverage coverage earlier than reserving your flights. When you’re confused by the wording, insurance coverage suppliers have a hotline that may reply particular profit questions.
Conclusion
The extra you get into Miles & Factors, the extra you’ll discover a must leverage positioning flights. In any case, they’re a software that may assist prevent miles, factors, and cash, and they need to be part of your technique to unlock extra award redemption prospects.
Positioning flights are additionally an efficient option to rating among the finest award flights within the recreation, which usually require a bit extra legwork than different flights.
Whereas positioning flights might be difficult and dangerous, make sure to contemplate them as you grow to be a extra savvy traveller.
